


Dusk

by the_black_rose



Category: Gundam SEED
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Smut, Lemon, post-Destiny
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-22
Updated: 2020-04-22
Packaged: 2021-03-01 20:54:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,248
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23793436
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_black_rose/pseuds/the_black_rose
Summary: Set Post-Destiny. Lacus's last night on Earth - before she goes back to the PLANTs as chairwoman. A mostly fluffy piece where Athrun and Lacus both realize they have a responsibility to the people of PLANT - and maybe to each other as equals and companions."The truth is, Athrun, I have to keep fighting.""Someone like you," he said with a sigh. He drew closer. "You weren't meant to fight, Lacus.""As long as I am able…"He lifted her chin and she found herself staring into his eyes."To change things. To do anything at all…"His hand settled on her waist"It is what I'm meant to do, Athrun. This is my fight, now."  She tried to pull from his loose embrace, but he tightened his hold."Not yours alone. I-I want to… Let me stand beside you."
Relationships: Lacus Clyne & Athrun Zala, Lacus Clyne/Athrun Zala
Comments: 6
Kudos: 33





	Dusk

* * *

  
**Disclaimer:** I do not own Gundam Seed. This fanfiction has no commercial value and I am not making any kind of profit or income off of this story, or the use of characters owned by Sunrise and Bandai.

 **Warning:** Rated R for sexual content.

 **AN:** Set post-Destiny, assumes the events in the original epilogue (extended footage), where Lacus appears to be heading back to the PLANTS in ~~empress~~ chairwoman attire.

_**Dusk** _

Lacus knew she'd miss the skies the most. The PLANT's simulated atmospheres could never compare to the blue hues that hung over the ocean on Earth. She expected the clouds to come out, today of all days, to wish her goodbye. Perhaps feel the brush of rain against her skin one more time… But, the seas were calm. A soft breeze swept in from the waters – dampening the waning heat of the sun to a tingle in her arms and cheeks.

Lacus clutched her skirt with both hands, even though the fabric didn't reach her knees and the water clawing at this part of the shore stayed below her ankles. She smiled as she watched the bubbling seawater splash over the top of her feet. The councilwoman-elect of the PLANTs rose to her tiptoes, stepped forward, and spun around. Icy liquid slapped her legs. She paused facing the shore and spied the house in the distance.

  
It had been her home for the last two years - the short, stucco structure just visible beyond what looked like miles of winding, wooden trails rising above the sand. Reverend Malchio owned a large home, filled with the delight of children's laughter and the warm smell of baking bread. But, it was hard to look at it, now, and not feel ashamed. 

Lacus hadn't lived there. She'd hidden inside its four walls like a child afraid of her father's scolding. And pretended…

_His blue eyes looked like they belonged to a doll she saw once in the arms of a little girl. She remembered wondering why anyone would make a doll with such hollow eyes and a sad expression._

_He turned away. The pain that used to cause, the burning feeling in her chest, was no longer present. "It's ok, Kira. I think we both know, don't we?"_

_"Lacus? What—"_

_"You're not going with me. Back to the PLANTs."_

She turned and dipped her toes into the sand. The seawater rose to lap at the base of her calves. Lacus crossed her arms over her chest and closed her eyes, feeling the air kiss her cheeks, the warm caress of sunlight, and the thrill of the water— A presence behind her. Her breath hitched.

"I've been looking for you."

_Athrun._ She smiled as the image of his face – kind, green eyes set beneath dark brows and blue-black hair that curled boyishly over his forehead and behind his ears – appeared in her mind even before she opened her eyes and turned around. She met his gaze. "Kira's inside."

"Y-yeah." He stuffed his hands in the pockets of his jeans, his long, red jacket fluttered. "I know." The breeze swept a melancholy silence in between them.

"Will you stay here, too, Athrun?"

"No. I don't think so."

"But, I thought—"

"It's-it's not." He let his gaze dip towards the sand. "It's not where I'm needed. The PLANTs—"

"You should move on, Athrun." Her voice sounded sharper than she intended. His head jerked up, and wide eyes asked so many silent questions. "It's part of why," she spun around to stare at the water, "why I accepted the position. Why I fought for it." Her heart panged in her chest. "So the soldiers like you and Kira—"

"But I'm not just a soldier. As you once told me, I'm Athrun Zala." His voice rumbled when he spoke.

_You're still fighting…_

"I'm the son of the former chairman. I have a responsibility to the people of PLANT as much as you do."

Lacus sent him a sharp look over her shoulder. "It isn't your job to rectify your father's mistakes."

His mouth curved up on one side. "I knew you'd say something like that. But, Lacus, when those terrorists dropped Junius 7 on Earth in my father's name…"

She looked away.

"I realized that I wasn't pretending to be Alex Dino because I wanted to start over and sever the ties with everything my father stood for. I did it because I was hiding. And I didn't want to face," he took a breath, "everything that still wasn't right."

_We both were…_ She clasped her hands behind her back. "It was a nice dream, for a while, wasn't it, Athrun?"

"Huh?"

"That we'd done," her heart squeezed and she blinked back tears, "everything we could. And it was over. That it could ever be over."

"It was all a lie."

She heard his footsteps crunch into the sand. "But, there were such beautiful days." Lacus looked at him as he came to stand beside her. He stared at the ocean waters. "And wonderful people."

"I always felt like something wasn't right. I kept telling myself that it would take time to get used to living in peace. But it wasn't that." He glanced at her before letting his gaze fall to the ground. "Maybe it was different for you."

"No. I…" She caught pieces of her long hair as she turned to face him. Her heart beat a staccato rhythm like she'd spent all this time dancing instead of standing. She placed her hand on his arm. "This is probably silly, but. I feel like a child who ran away from home, thinking there was a better life out there. Only to realize…" She swallowed and willed herself to continue.

His eyes fixed on her.

"How much I loved and missed…whom I was running from."

He frowned. "The people of PLANT?"

"No." She dropped her hand and took a step towards the house. "You." She continued walking, feeling the sand squish between her toes, and—

"Me?"

His voice stopped her cold.

"But Lacus, you. Why? And what do you mean, you were running from me?"

"I-I was afraid of so many things, Athrun." Her heart squeezed until it hurt.

"What are you talking about? You weren't afraid of anything. At least, you didn't seem to be."

"Everyone has fears. And I was afraid…" She wanted to hold on to her tears, she didn't want to cry, but if this was goodbye, he should know…. "Most of all that I'd disappoint you."

"Disappoint me?"

She faced him, again. His jacket fluttering behind him, the sun at his back. "With everything that was changing, I didn't know if you could love…" She took a deep breath as her heart released. But, it still felt tender and sore. "Who I was. Or even who I had to become."

"B-but—"

"I was different…" She looked to the ocean, the shifting and flowing waters. They were gentle and beautiful in the summer light, powerful and deadly in the midst of a storm, without ever really changing. "I felt different. From the time I decided to act on my own…Along with the consequences I paid for my actions. After that, I couldn't go back. As much as I tried to believe things could be the same. The truth is, I have to keep fighting."

"Someone like you," he said with a sigh. He drew closer. "You weren't meant to fight, Lacus."

"As long as I am able…"

He lifted her chin and she found herself staring into his eyes.

"To change things. To do anything at all…"

His hand settled on her waist.

"It is what I'm meant to do, Athrun. This is my fight, now." She tried to pull from his loose embrace, but he tightened his hold. 

"Not yours alone. I-I want to… Let me stand beside you."

She shook her head. "Thank you, Athrun. But, I'm asking you to trust me, to protect you, now."

"Lacus, you're not even—"

"I've always…always…loved you, Athrun."

She watched his eyes widen. His lips parted, then shut. His adam's apple bobbed in his throat and he glanced back in the direction of the house.

"Kira's leaving soon. We've already said…everything that needed to be said."

"Lacus…" His hand came up to cup her jaw. He brushed his thumb against the skin of her cheek. Then he was leaning forward, pressing his lips against hers. Trembling fingers trailed down the side of her neck as his other hand moved to cradle the back of her head. She wound her arms around his shoulders and closed her eyes.

His lips were soft like she remembered; she felt the gentle scrape of facial hair against her chin – like something sweet and salty at the same time. And evidence that Athrun had changed, too, since the days when they were just children.

She felt his lips thin and the hand at her back pushed her closer, into his body. She met his mouth again, lips open, his tongue slid against hers. She wanted to be closer, but his embrace was already crushing. The scent of salt water hung in the air and filled her nose. All she wanted to smell was him…

"Athrun." Her voice came out in a gasp when his mouth left hers and began to work down the side of her neck. She felt his hands pulling at the zipper on her dress, his fingers delving into the flesh between her shoulder blades. Lacus tightened her arms. She needed to feel closer… But he was pushing her away.

Lacus opened her eyes at the same time she felt the breeze dive into the front of her dress. Athrun's hands slid over her shoulders. She looked up. His eyes had grown dark, she could see herself reflected in their surface. Fabric slipped against her chest and brushed the back of her legs, before falling to the ground.

"Lacus…"

She smiled. His brows contracted, sending ripples through his forehead. "Tell me I shouldn't…do this."

"This is my last night before I go back to the PLANTs. It wasn't my intention, but I'd like…very much to spend it here with you."

Athrun removed his jacket and placed the red fabric on the ground behind her. He took both her hands, and tugged her down to kneel with him on the hard, wet sand. Her heart raced, and she felt like she was burning even as cool air blanketed her skin. Athrun reached to brush pieces of hair from her face, tucking them behind her ear. He lowered his mouth to hers, again, and she felt like she was just learning to breathe.

Her eyes shut. His hands fluttered against her waist, then smoothed up the skin of her back – apparently to separate the clasp on her bra. He broke the kiss, pulling away from her again. Tiny shivers ran across her chest as lace caressed the peaks of her breasts. Then he was back, his lips firm against hers. And she was leaning, lying down on her back, with Athrun's body pressing into her. His breath whispering against her neck…One palm skimmed along the outside of her thigh.

She opened her eyes to see him, lifted her hand to tangle in his hair. The sand felt frozen beneath her, tongues of icy sea water licked the bottoms of her feet. But everywhere he touched, she felt like she was melting. Cold tingled through the underside of her body even while Athrun's warmth seeped into her skin from above.

His mouth claimed the nipple of her left breast. She gasped and slipped her hand down the collar of his shirt, digging into the muscles of his shoulder. The heat dissipated. Lacus opened her eyes to find him staring.

"Your skin is ice cold."

"That's why you shouldn't stop." She slipped both hands underneath his shirt and ran them up his back.

"We shouldn't be doing it like this."

"No, we shouldn't."

A frown creased his forehead, but he nodded. Red crept into his complexion. He walked his hands backward in the sand, pushing himself up into a kneeling position.

"It's not right for you to still be dressed. We shouldn't be doing anything until we set that right." Lacus sat up; she grabbed the bottom of his shirt and tugged it over his stomach and ribcage. Athrun lifted his arms, allowing her to pull the fabric over his head. She tossed the garment next to her things in the sand.

He unbuttoned his jeans and eased them down his legs. The former Gundam pilot discarded them, and his boxers, in the pile of clothing.

He shot her a glance, his green eyes glinted. His mouth firmly set - she could see the muscle twitch on the left side of his jaw. Lacus gave him a smile, and extended a hand in his direction. He moved into her reach, letting her fingers soothe up the line of his cheekbone to cup his chin.

His eyelids dipped, long lashes brushing the apples of his cheeks. Her hand moved down the rigid muscles of his neck to brush a gentle line over his chest. Her fingers danced across his abdomen. His eyes narrowed. Everywhere she touched, she could feel the form and shape of his musculature - like every fiber was taut beneath his skin. 

When she reached the tip of his erection, he let out a groan and his eyelids slipped completely closed. She let her fingertips slide down his length to land on his right thigh. Athrun's eyes opened again. Green fire like the glow of fireflies on a summer's evening erupted from beneath his lashes.

He gripped her hand at the same time he surged forward, seizing her lips into a kiss and pushing her back to lie on top of his coat. His hot breath puffed against her cheek even as his mouth clamped down over hers again and again. The stars overhead began to spin, and she had to shut her eyes. Cool air slid between their bodies, a sharp, singing contrast to his heated touch. She could smell the sand on his skin, the fresh air in his hair—

He retreated again, but before she could complain, his hands gripped either side of her hips and she felt his tip at her entrance. Pain flared through her abdomen as the pressure increased and then he was sliding, separating, and filling an emptiness…

A low moan hushed from his lips at the same time he fell forward, catching himself just before he crushed her. "La-Lacus…" He panted. Athrun shuddered as he dug his hands under her shoulders and buried his forehead into her neck.

She brought her arms up to hold him. He began to move. She could feel him… He slid in and out of her body; his muscles trembled. She lost her breath as he pushed inside her once again and sent ripples of wet electricity through every cell.

The breeze slapped against her skin. She felt like she was a thousand grains of sand, and he was the ocean flowing over her, into her, all around her. Calm, warm, and so beautiful…

"Lacus…" He pressed kisses along her cheek and groaned in her ear. Athrun sped up, jolting her body with every thrust. She clung to him, feeling the tremors roll up his spine. He gasped her name, driving his arousal into her harder this time. Sparks lit the inside of her eyelids like the stars twinkling in the night sky.

He hooked one arm underneath her knee, pushing her leg wide as he plunged deeper inside. The ripples became breakers; she could feel their undertow tugging her body into heated water – she floated and spun, holding her breath when the sensation overwhelmed her. She tightened her grip on his shoulders, pleading for him not to let her go. The crest of the wave rose beneath her, her body quaked. And then she was falling, hurtling towards the beach.

"Athrun!" she reached for him, only to open her eyes and find that he was right there. Shivering, convulsing. His head lifted, and he had the sweetest expression on his face.

_Athrun…_

* * *

Epilogue

He drove his car onto the sand, headlights shining into the dark waters. A network of artificial lamplight followed the trail from the beach to the house, but the trail, and the light, ended several meters short of the ocean. The last trickle of sunlight colored the horizon a deep purple instead of black while the moon began its slow arc through the sky.

Athrun climbed out of his car, gathering the blankets he'd collected from the Reverend's. He felt her hand on his back, and turned to look at her. She wore his shirt, the shoulders sagging down to the middle of her arm. The two buttons beneath the collar undone, the neck gaped to reveal just a hint of cleavage. Lacus smiled as she pulled the layers of fabric from his arms. "You were gone for a while."

"S-sorry. I brought coffee with me. I thought…you might like some."

She leaned up and kissed his cheek. "Thank you." Lacus moved in the direction of their little 'camp' – which consisted of his jacket and her dress lying on top of the sand. She set the blankets next to the other articles and chose one to spread across a small section of beach. Lacus sat in the center of her little island, her knees drawn up to her chest, the cool air tossing her hair. She tilted her head to look up at him. "Aren't you coming?"

Athrun unfroze. He closed the door on his car and with the thermos of coffee in one hand and two mugs clutched in the other, he hurried to her side.

They sat in silence for a while. He poured two cups of coffee from the thermos. "I know you prefer tea or hot cocoa, but—"

"It's perfect." Her voice sounded soft. She leaned her head against his shoulder.

The moon rose higher in the sky. Athrun stared up at the heavens. The PLANTs were up there, a small cluster of space colonies - glinting with artificial starlight. _Home…_

He felt her shiver. The former Gundam pilot retrieved another blanket and placed it around her shoulders. "It's getting cold."

Lacus nodded.

"Are you sure you want to stay out here…all night?"

She turned to look at him and smiled. The moonlight played across her features; starlight caught in her eyes. "I had planned to stay…as long as I could. On my own. I love the sunrise over the ocean in the mornings…"

Athrun nodded. "It is beautiful. There's nothing quite like it on the PLANTs."

"If you don't mind, Athrun…I think. The truth is, if you hadn't come along…I." She bowed her head and stared into her coffee. "I probably would have gone back to the house and slept in my room. But that…isn't what I really wanted."

"Lacus?"

"I'd like to watch the sunrise with you." 

He saw her fingers tremble around the lip of her coffee mug. Athrun sighed; he plucked the cup from her hand and placed it on the ground. He pulled her into his lap, cradling her against his chest as he wrapped his arms around her. She settled her head just beneath his shoulder.

"With you, by my side, Athrun…."

"We'll see the sun rise, together, Lacus." 


End file.
